As always, Nigerians have continued to be docile even as impunity grows at an alarming rate, they have continued to ignore a faulty democracy that is speedily transmuting into an oligarchical dynasty. What appears to be a democratic system of government, within a secular state comprising of a mixture of Christians and Muslims, has continued to transform into a monstrous Islamic tyranny, against the people’s will, but yet, they have remained passive. Internationally and locally, the knowledge of an impending doom was aptly made known to Nigerians, but they decided to turn deaf ears. Nigerians were vehemently warned against a looming catastrophe, but they chose to ignore the clarion call.
The vision of an imminent danger was clearly revealed to the Nigerian public, but they were deceived by a false image of integrity. When a man takes a 500 dollar-worth product of yours and says, “I will give you money”, he can decide to either give you 1 cent or give you 1 dollar. Whatever be the case, he can confidently tell someone else that he has actually given you money. Therefore, it would be most appropriate to ascertain the amount of money that he wishes to give to you, so that you can both reach a befitting agreement on the price of the product. When the APC-led administration came up with the jingle – change, Nigerians were so gullible that they ignored the relevance of ascertaining if they meant a positive change or a negative change.
Related article: THE CONFISCATION AND BANNING OF NEWSPAPERS: A REIGN OF TYRANNY
There have been numerous records of state-sponsored terrorism by the Nigerian government through its armed forces, but the government-controlled media outfits are known to deliberately ignore such incidents. The latest act of terror is the ban on news outlets that occasionally and independently report about Biafra, the confiscation of newspapers that have reports on Biafra and the apprehension and torture of newspaper vendors. This is the height of human right abuse and a slap on the face of democracy and freedom of expression. The Nigerian government under the leadership of Muhammadu Buhari, with this singular act, has made a mockery of democracy.
The incident of newspaper confiscation and ban of publishers is an act that is of a catastrophic consequence. Nigerian soldiers who presumably came from the 144 battalion under Ohafia 14 brigade in Aba, Abia state, were said to have invaded newsstands on the 15th of March 2016, apprehended innocent vendors and carted away their newspapers. This is a gross violation of press freedom, human right and a contravention of the freedom of information bill and should not be condoned. These nefarious acts by the Nigerian armed forces, which they have admitted to, should be condemned by all and sundry and perpetrators brought to book accordingly.
The government of Nigeria has continued to perpetrate gross acts of injustice and has continued to terrorise innocent citizens with impunity, therefore, should no longer be ignored by the international community given the current situation. It has displayed acts of irresponsibility, hence, should be summoned and cautioned by the United Nations and other well-meaning organisations around the world. The governments of the world should not continue to watch Nigeria as it reduces the value of life in Nigeria and destroys the very essence of living.
The Muhammadu Buhari-led government of Nigeria should be made to understand the need to desist from its primitive gruesomeness as it concerns the handling of civil matters. The United Nations as well as the international community should also not be sending the signals that they can only mediate in matters that have metamorphosed into war, therefore should as a matter of urgency, give the Biafran question the attention that it deserves.
BYKENECHUKWU HALLELUYAH OKEKENTA
BY BIAFRA WRITERS
Eze Afrika
